Chimney sweep festival in england in english. UK colorful chimney sweep festival

For many years in England, in Rochester, on May 1, the Chimney Sweep Festival is held. From ancient times until today, the profession of chimney sweeps is the most mysterious. Over the history of its existence, it has acquired the most incredible, but bright beliefs. For example, if you meet a chimney sweep in the morning, then the whole day will be successful. And if you touch the chimney sweep, or get a few hairs from his brush, then luck will accompany all year. If you dreamed of a chimney sweep, then something good is guaranteed to happen to you. To ensure that happiness never leaves the house, chimney sweeps were invited to the wedding as a living happy omen.

The people believed that the chimney sweeps were once the lost children of noble dukes and peers. Then, in a fabulous way, they returned to their families and entered into the rights to titles and wealth.

In ancient times, people practically did not clean chimneys. This has caused frequent fires. Therefore, the government decided on the mandatory cleaning of chimneys. At the moment, throughout England, there may be about 600 people in this unusual profession. Basically, they can be found in sleeping areas, where houses with stove heating have been preserved.

The chimney sweep festival opens with a dance procession. Headed the column "my lord." He is followed by Jack-in-the-Green - a boy whose costume is decorated with branches and foliage. It symbolizes spring and forests. Teenagers in costumes of clowns dance and somersault in front of the procession. Next come the lords and ladies. The procession is closed by the “treasury” of the “milady”.

And although the Chimney Sweep Festival is held in England, Denmark is the birthplace of this unusual profession. The first mention of chimney sweeps dates back to 1639. This is a document that refers to the hiring of Lithuanian Goodman Olsen to clean the chimney chimneys of Christian Copenhagen Royal Castle Christian IV. After that, for some time, chimney sweeps were not mentioned anywhere until 1728, when the floor of the Danish capital nearly burned out in a terrible conflagration. This sad event prompted the authorities to decide on declaring the chimney sweep profession a permanent one. The first state professional chimney sweep in Denmark was master Andreas Nieske from Selesia in 1731. By decree of King Christian VII of February 11, 1778, Denmark created the first chimney sweep workshop in history. In addition, a peculiar class of professional training in chimney sweeps was created here. Every year the profession of chimney sweeps was widely known. Its representatives have become respected and desirable.

It should be noted that in 1917, the Danish Institute of Technology opened specialized training courses for chimney sweeps. In 1974, a chimney sweep school was opened in the city of Tender in Jutland. Training in it lasted four years. In addition to the direct cleaning technique, the children here are taught the basics of ventilation and heating, as well as the natural sciences, mathematics and economics.

But the fate of the chimney sweeps of Old England is not as rosy as that of the Danish workshops. The fate of the English chimney sweeps is sad and cruel. And that's why. In ancient times, small children aged 4 and over became apprentices of the master chimney sweep. These were shelter children or homeless strollers. It was the kids who climbed into the chimneys and cleaned them with a scraper and a brush. Toddlers used labor mainly because they did not have to pay. They worked for clothes, shoes, and fed them very poorly, so that they would not grow and recover, otherwise they would not be able to climb into the pipe. We didn’t even talk about any safety devices during pipe cleaning. Children often broke and crashed, falling down from the height of the chimney. Some were suffocated by soot, dust, and carbon monoxide. At the end of the work, the children did not have the opportunity to wash themselves, so dirt and soot were eaten into the skin. The master did not let dirty kids into his house, so they were forced to live in basements or in attics. Little chimney sweeps were supposed to work six days a week, and on Sunday study the Bible. If one of the children was lucky enough to live to such an age that he stopped crawling into the pipe, then he was again kicked out into the street. Since the road to the shelter he had already been ordered.

But the wife of King George III, Princess Charlotte put an end to the barbaric use of child labor chimney sweeps. She announced an award to someone who comes up with a way to clean chimneys without involving children. So, in 1803, a special Society was created, the purpose of which was to free children from the work of chimney sweeps, and to invent an alternative and no less effective method of cleaning. And such a method was found: a sinker with a brush or a brush fell into the pipe. By the way, this device is used to this day!

But the children were no longer exploited immediately. Child labor was cheap, fines for attracting children to clean chimneys are small, and the thirst for profit from the owners is exorbitant. And only when in 1840 the Parliament banned the exploitation of children by special decree, and in 1864 the fines for the use of child labor when cleaning chimneys increased sharply, the children were no longer exploited.

Like any good innovation, chimney sweeps appeared in Russia. In St. Petersburg in 1721 the first official chimney sweep was registered. Concerned by the condition of the chimneys of urban houses, the city governors approached the problem with all responsibility. It was decided that each quarter of the city will be serviced by a separate chimney sweep, and it will not consist of the fire department, but much more seriously - the police department. The task of the chimney sweeps was not only to clean the pipes from soot, but also to teach everyone who wants to learn the basics of building chimneys for stoves and fireplaces.

Despite the seriousness of the event, local residents, even the poorest, were not interested in the chimney sweep profession. Therefore, according to the census of 1869, most of the chimney sweeps of St. Petersburg are Finns.

Despite the fact that modern houses, for the most part, are equipped with central heating and gas stoves, chimney sweeps in our houses still appear from time to time. Who are they? These are housing and communal services employees who go around the apartments and check the ventilation. When troubleshooting, they fix them using modern mechanical or chemical agents. That's just interesting, if you touch the modern chimney sweep from the housing office, it will also bring happiness, as in the belief?

So, the profession of a chimney sweep over many years of its existence has not overgrown with traditions or a large number of beliefs, but from a tragic one it has turned into a respected one. This profession is even devoted to 1 day of the calendar, albeit not the most famous in the world. So, on May 1, they celebrate all the chimney sweeps!

Rochester Chimney Sweep Festival: vivid photos and videos, a detailed description and reviews of the Rochester Chimney Sweep Festival in 2019.

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Every year in the UK there is a noisy and cheerful holiday - the Rochester Chimney Sweep Festival. It is celebrated on May 1 with a noisy and vibrant procession with dancing.

In medieval England, the chimney sweep profession was one of the most popular - there are a lot of old houses, and in each of them you need to regularly clean the chimney. Over time, a central heating system appeared, but the chimney sweeps in this country are still treated with such respect that they even thought up a whole holiday in their honor.

In England, 600 chimney sweeps are still officially employed, which clean the pipes in the oldest houses.

The first chimney sweep festival took place in 1981. Then they decided to start the procession at Rochester Castle - the highest in England, this tradition is still alive. The procession is headed by “Milord”, followed by “Jackie in Green” - people with flowers and ribbons, dressed in green, and right after them - clowns and jesters who jump, grimace and amuse others. As you might guess, all this symbolizes the arrival of spring: greenery, the awakening of a new life, fun and joy. Following the jesters are "Lords and Ladies." They are dressed in chimney sweep suits and are surely smeared with soot from head to toe. Well, the very last one is walking “milady” with a basket and collecting a trifle for donations to English chimney sweeps.

It is considered very great luck to tear off a button from a chimney sweeper passing by, or at least touch it. This is a sure sign that fortune will soon turn its face.

The procession ends with a large party with dances at the May pole with beer and various tasty food.

In England, the legend is still alive that chimney sweeps are the lost children of very wealthy parents. Fate prepared for them such a test - to work as a chimney sweep and learn hard work. However, in reality, homeless street children often became chimney sweeps to somehow earn a living. Therefore, for all children at this holiday they always prepare special treats and entertainments.

Practical information

Time: weekend in late April - early May.

Location: Rochester, Kent, UK.

England is always associated with fog, a lot of street lamps and a fireplace, where firewood crackles! And here pictures from the movie about the detective Sherlock Holmes, who, together with Dr. Watson, solve the crimes while sitting by the fireplace, appear in the imagination.

In those days, the profession of a chimney sweep was very popular - all black and grubby, cleans chimneys. With the development of modern heating systems, the need for the services of people in this profession has become unnecessary. But today in England, chimney sweeps are treated with reverence and respect. Officially, 600 chimney sweeps are registered in the country, which today clean chimneys.

In England, there was a legend that the chimney sweeps become the lost children of the rich people of the country who have had difficult trials to clean soot. Passing which, chimney sweeps will find their family and happiness. Meet the chimney sweep in the English streets is considered a good omen. They are even invited to weddings to give young people a happy and long life together!

That is why, every May days, in England, the Rochester chimney sweeps festival is held. Every year crowds of tourists come here to watch this bright and unusual show, which lasts three days.

In terms of entertainment and brightness, this festival is in no way inferior to the holiday, or.

Celebration begins at Rochester Castle. It is the highest castle in England that was built during the Middle Ages. In those days, the castle was of particular importance in protecting the city and developing trade relations.

The most important event during the festival is a bright procession along the main street of the city with songs and dances. This is not an ordinary procession and has a strictly defined structure. First comes the “lord”, followed by the “green Jackie” - people dressed in green with flowers and bright ribbons. These are symbols of spring that people meet and enjoy the renewal in nature.

And only after them in a hurry to make fun of jesters and clowns with dances. They tumble, sing songs and “infect” others with their positive.

Lords and ladies solemnly follow them. They are dressed in traditional chimney sweeps and the obligatory attribute is soot on the face. And the more the costume looks soiled with soot, the more successful the next year will be!

There are so many chimney sweeps at this holiday that they made a separate parade for them, which stretches for many kilometers!

And viewers just want to touch the chimney sweep for good luck. And if you also tear off his button and pinch off several bristles from the brush, then luck will never leave you.

Closes the procession of "Milady", which collects symbolic donations to support the profession of chimney sweeps. Any person who chooses his own character can take part in this procession.

In addition to the procession and parade, the festival hosts various games and always dances around the May pole.

It is known from history that small homeless children became chimney sweeps. Often at the age of four they climbed into pipes, and clean them from soot. Therefore, at the festival they do not forget about children and prepare for them separate entertainments and sweets.

When you travel to England in May, be sure to take a trip to Rochester to the chimney sweep festival. Perhaps, having touched a person stained with soot, happiness awaits you?

Since ancient times, a profession of chimney sweep envelops a certain mystery. For most people, a chimney sweep is a never-ending grimy man with a ladder, a whisk and a rope who looks at the city from the height of tiled roofs.

Of course, with the passage of time and the development of technology, the need for this profession has decreased, and somewhere it has completely disappeared. Today in all of England it’s hard to get over five hundred chimney sweeps. They serve old houses in which fireplaces and stoves have not yet been replaced with modern heating systems.

According to ancient belief, a meeting with a chimney sweep brings happiness to a house, helps to fulfill cherished dreams. Therefore, representatives of this profession are always welcome at weddings and other celebrations.

On May 1, the Rochester Chimney Sweep Festival takes place in England. Each year this day is marked by a colorful procession and dancing. By tradition, the procession is led by “my lord”, followed by clowns and boys, performing different acrobatic numbers, then - a procession with “Jack-in-Green” - a boy who is decorated with green branches, then the lords and ladies walk. All this motley joyful crowd closes "milady", collecting the "treasury".

A grimy, but never discouraged man with a ladder, ropes and panicles cheerfully looks around the city from the tiled roof - this is how the image of a chimney sweep from children's fairy tales remains in memory.

In ancient times, the craft of the chimney sweep was shrouded in some mystery. There were legends about rich gentlemen who lost their children and after many years of inconsolable grief found them among the chimney sweeps. Stories surrounded chimney sweeps with a halo of mystery. No one (except their owners) dared to mistreat the chimney sweeps: it is not known who he is - and what if he turns out to be the son of a peer or a noble lord?

Many of those who believe in miracles began to believe that cleaning chimneys is a kind of difficult test, after which sooner or later chimney sweeps of noble origin will regain their titles and titles; therefore, it was customary to respect the craft of chimney sweeps. With the development of technology, the need for chimney sweeps has decreased.

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There are now about 600 chimney sweeps in England. Although modern heating systems do without people in this profession, old houses with fireplaces and stoves still have enough pipes that need to be cleaned. And besides, according to popular belief, a meeting with a chimney sweep brings happiness, and they are willingly invited to weddings.

In late April - early May, the Rochester chimney sweeps festival takes place in England, which attracts many tourists from all over the world, because it is very picturesque and has a rich 3-day program. It has been leading its history since 1981.

The festival program includes performances by dancers and artists, chimney sweeps parades, dances and many other bright and exciting events. There are also entertainment for children.

One of the most important traditions of the festival is a colorful procession with dances, where the “lord” leads the procession. It is followed by a procession with Jack-in-Greenery - a boy decorated with green leaves and branches, teenagers dressed as clowns tumble and make different things in front of him, followed by lords and ladies. The procession closes "milady", which collects the "treasury". Jack-in-Zelenie personifies the spirit of spring and forest, revered during these traditional rites of spring.

And, of course, in the evening the fun smoothly moves to local pubs where beer is poured by the river, and local music groups entertain the audience all night.